Food Arts

Compliments to the chef. And of the Miami Design District! As we head into a new season here in South Florida, our menu at Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink experiences a little more than daily changes. Chef de Cuisine Tim Piazza is working in everything from Butternut and Delicata squash, to Honeycrisp apples and Brussels Sprouts and building new dishes around them. With weekly complimentary concerts in Palm Court, now is the time to get a taste of autumn and make a night of it in the neighborhood.

The Miami Design District kicks off its Performance Series Presented by Knight Foundation this Friday, October 13 with Latin Grammy Nominated and Billboard Latin Music Award Winners, Il Volo. MGFD gets in the spirit with Coco Loco ($10) coconut water, rum, pineapple, housemade grenadine, lime and Luxardo, served out of its freshly tapped, green coconut. Just look for the coconut-strewn bar in front of Ella, where you can also find a selection of wine, beer, water and yes, fresh coconut water, too. See the schedule posted here, and look forward to a new act each week (Fridays, 6PM, Palm Court 140 NE 39th Street), with the Miami Symphony Orchestra back monthly. Street, Palm Court Garage and Valet Parking available. Here are how the leaves fall on the menu (new cocktails at the MGFD bar with Beverage Manager Amanda Fraga and desserts by pastry chef MJ Garcia will be covered in separate posts over the next week!):

“The funny thing is, of course, we live in Miami so it still feels like summer outside but we want to feel the change despite that,” saysPiazza. “The goal is to create dishes that are full of all those ingredients and flavors we love this time of year, but that aren’t too rich or heavy handed. This what we do best in a nutshell — balance.”

In that case, he’s struck it. Wood Oven Roasted Sweet Potato becomes a salad with the addition of sprouted lentils, pretty tokyo turnips, peppery upland cress, and the nutty acid of tahini sauce. A dusting of Aleppo chile gives it that zesty pop. We all look forward to apples turning up, and the pick of the grove for the chefs is the Honeycrisp for its perfect harmony of sweet and tart. Piazza highlights its crunchy texture tossing it shaved with aromaticfennel in Apple & Fennel Salad, red onion, sunflower seeds, radish, quinoa, greens, goat cheese and mustard vinaigrette. Luscious Skirt Steak hits refresh with celery, almonds, dates, horseradish crema and sherry. Click here for a reservation or call 305.573.5550.

Pastrami on Schwartz, on June 2 prepping for his James Beard House dinner with MGFD.

Pastrami on Rye

This summer, New York City’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen is sharing the Jewish Deli love across the country with the launch of its first-ever Pass the Pastrami series, and Michael’s been flagged to receive it! Chef joins Jamie Bissonnette and Marc Vetri to “pass the pastrami” and highlight a signature Katz’s-inspired dish at one of their restaurants. From July 10-16, it’s Harry’s turn to play at our Coconut Grove location as Chef breathes some fire into the classic NYC sandwich — pastrami on rye — with a Pastrami Pizza featuring rye crust, sauerkraut, mustard sauce and gruyere. The pizza will be available each day until we run out for $18. It’s time to start salivating and choose which beer to wash it down with.

The inspiration.

“Katz’s is always my first stop in NYC. THE pastrami is hands down both the best and worst craving to have because you just can’t replicate it,” Michael says. “We’re excited to take this classic and have some fun with it in Miami at Harry’s. Pastrami on Rye Pizza just makes sense!”

We just received our sample batch of pastrami and got straight to recipe testing. TGHG executive chef Bradley Herron is currently working on the rye dough which should be the real kicker to tie this tasty bite together — along with a little scallion for a fresh contrast to the melty, briny toppings combination. Home cooks can try their hand at the chefs’ deli creations with easy-to-replicate recipes… Stay tuned for ours!

Behold, the test pie.

Katz’s Delicatessen is an iconic restaurant serving traditional Jewish deli fare in the Lower East Side since 1888. As one of the oldest Jewish delis in NYC, the family-run business has been a local favorite for over a century. Their pastrami and corned beef sandwiches are the gold standard for an ‘authentic’ NYC deli experience, thanks to Katz’s emphasis on traditional slow-curing processes and hand-cut slicing techniques. Today, Katz’s serves thousands of hungry customers daily and ships their deli classics nationwide. Katz’s storefront is considered a LES landmark and is a popular destination among locals, tourists, and celebrities. In June 2017, Katz’s will open its first outpost in Brooklyn at the new Dekalb Market.

“We sell 15,000 pounds of pastrami every week, making it our most popular meat at the moment. I’ve always enjoyed watching others put their own spin on the classics, so I can’t wait to see what these insanely talented chefs are going to come up with,” says Katz’s Deli owner, Jake Dell. “It’s a fun way for people in different cities to get a taste of what we do here at Katz’s, and to learn some cool new recipes that they can recreate at home through our shipping department.”

Katz’s pastrami and other legendary menu items are available for shipping nationwide, with free shipping for orders over $100. For additional information on Katz’s Delicatessen, please visit katzsdelicatessen.com.

When the timing is just right, it’s everything. With our catering and private parties business rocking out new and tasty ways to enjoy the best of what our chefs are capable of, we are reengaging with old friends at O Cinema for a summer of food and film brought to you by Michael Schwartz Events!

OMG! DINNER & A MOVIE makes a triumphant return to with a line up of summer screenings, each highlighting one of our favorite cooking stations and menus! Join us for three special evenings celebrating terrific food and film. As always, you can expect a high quality experience in a relaxed atmosphere- all taking place on-site at O Cinema’s Wynwood theater. Dinners are all served starting at 6 pm in old school cafeteria trays where you’ll be able to eat in your seats with the films getting underway at 7 pm. Tickets are $55 at the links below include the full experience — a meal of five different menu items served with soda or water and the film. As always there will be beer or wine available for purchase!

Take an atmospheric and immersive musical journey through the swamps of the Louisiana Bayou, the juke joints of the Mississippi Delta and the moonshine-soaked barbeques of North Mississippi Hill Country.

A favorite of the film festival circuit and making its Florida Premiere at this special event, I Am The Blues takes audiences into the world of the African American blues legends, many in their 80s, still making music and sharing stories in the Deep South.

From sunny front porches to spirited church halls, the last of the ‘blues devils’ including Bobby Rush, Barbara Lynn, Henry Gray, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Lazy Lester and Little Freddie King share their songs and a spellbinding oral history. Capturing the distinctive landscapes and romantic spirit of the South with an expert lens, director Daniel Cross follows the Mississippi River past Graceland, past Muscle Shoals, and into the beating heart of the blues.

The Manhattan of 1995: a land without cell phones, but abundant in CD listening stations, bar smoke, and family dysfunction. Enter the Jacobs. Eldest daughter Dana’s looming marriage to straight-laced Ben prompts a willful dive into her wild side, while her younger sister, Ali, is still in high school but leads a covert life of sex, drugs, and clubbing. After discovering love letters penned by their father, the sisters try to expose his apparent affair while keeping it from their all-too-composed mother.

Gillian Robespierre’s follow-up to Obvious Child reprises her talent for subversive comedy and explores how family bonds grow sturdier through lying, cheating, and strife. Compelled by the emotional snarl of people’s poor choices, Landline relishes in the dark humor of life’s low points while basking in ’90s nostalgia. A hit at Sundance and starring Jenny Slate, John Turturro, and Edie Falco, Landline is an honest, observant portrait of sibling rivalry stumbling awkwardly toward friendship, and of children realizing that parents are people too, there’s no attempt at concealing the indulgences and insecurities of its characters-all of which make them endearing and human.

Band Director and Young Musicians Unite Founder Sammy Gonzalez in action, sharing his passion for music with the future musicians of the world.

On Saturday, we’re selling tickets for YMU’s annual fundraiser… the Spring Concert! Stop by to donate through your purchase.

This Saturday, April 1, Harry’s Pizzeria in Coconut Grove will host live music sets by Arrowhead and Avalanche, middle and high school rock bands that are the talented engines driving the work of Young Musicians Unite. This Miami-based non profit revitalizes music programs in South Florida’s underserved communities one school at a time, giving students a voice through music. Partner bands like drummer Harry Schwartz’s Arrowhead take the time to play side by side shows with YMU’s students, raise funds through performances like this Saturday’s at Harry’s, and even help with peer to peer mentoring in our after-school programs. Attending performances is how we can close the giving loop!

Find Harry and the YMU crew on the sidewalk just west of Harry’s outdoor seating area in Coconut Grove, next to Kit + Ace, from 6-9PM during the neighborhood’s Fashion + Art + Music series season finale, returning on first Saturdays beginning in October. Swing by to dine inside, alfresco or at the counter and enjoy the live music. Band Director and organization founder Sammy Gonzalez will have a table set up outside where you can donate as well as purchase tickets for its annual Spring Concert at The Gleason Room, backstage at the Fillmore on Saturday, May 20. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for YMU and a not-to-miss show, to boot!

Founded in 2013, Young Musicians Unite collaborates with schools that have limited or no music programs. In 2017, YMU is uniting young musicians in the Wynwood and Overtown community and raise awareness about the importance of music education, providing solutions with high profiled educators and free comprehensive music programming. Since 2013, YMU has been dedicated to providing free in-school and after school music programs to South Florida’s youth. Under the leadership of Sammy Gonzalez, YMU engages youth from at-risk communities with limited or non-existent music programs. Depending on their individual school, students who participate in YMU become members of a Classical Guitar ensemble, a Jazz ensemble, or a Student Rock Band. The YMU program ensures that students learn the fundamentals of music including theory, reading, songwriting, competition, and performance. Classes are led by qualified professional teachers, and aided by peer to peer mentors and visiting guest musicians. Without exception, all of the equipment, music, performance and teaching fees are waived. YMU have 85+ students currently enrolled in programming and have serviced 210+ students over the years. We’re groupies, for sure.

That’s because we hit pause (and PLAY!) to celebrate our people and thank our extended family for joining us in the memory making that was 2016. Enjoy these familiar faces and relish the genuine merriment that virtual yearbook maker Jessica Anderson has prepared for us with steadfast and thoughtful plentitude.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and yummy holiday from all of us at Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink, Harry’s Pizzeria®, Cypress Tavern, ella, Michael Schwartz Events and The Genuine Hospitality Group.